Improvement in envelopes for letters



0. PHELPS. ENVELOPE FOR LETTERS, &c. No. 20,037.

. Patented Apr. 27, 1858 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES PHELPS, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

'IMPROVEMENT IN ENVELOPES FOR LETTERS, 81.0.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 90,087, dated April 27, 1858.

To all whom it may concern.- I

Be it known that 1, CHARLES PHELPS, of Salem, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usef ul Improvement upon LetterEnvelopes; and I do hereby declare that said improvement consists of a device or appliance which I call an envelope-opener, of which the follow: ing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention consists of a piece of cord of any suitable size and material laid in parallel with and attached to onset the creases formed by the folding of the envelope, and of such length that it shall fill the said crease and project beyond far enough to be readily seized when its use is required. The cord is shown in the drawing at the point A, and the end of the same at B.

Its operation is as follows: The sealed envelope being held with the projecting end of the opener toward the person, a pull upon the opener from the person andfrom the body of the envelope causes the cord or opener to cut or tear itself out, leaving the envelope open at that edge and otherwise uninjured, that it may be used as a case or protection for the letter after its perusal.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to obtain Letters Patent for, is-

The application to a letter-envelope of an opener therefor, said opener to be'attached to l and part of said envelope, and to be attached and operated substantially in the manncrsct forth and described in the specification.

CHARLES PHELPS. Witnesses:

WILLIAM L. BATCHELDER, ISRAEL R. PHELPS. 

